Buildings and other structures under construction are commonly enclosed, at least in part, during various stages of the building process. For example, it may desirable to establish a contained environment in areas of a structure where fire protection is being applied. Likewise, certain types of cement and the like require controlled environmental conditions (e.g., low humidity and/or moderate temperature) to cure. In such situations, enclosure may be necessary to assure that the atmosphere in the work area is acceptable. Enclosure may be particularly desirable where a structure is built in cold or otherwise inclement weather. For example, workers may require protection from the elements to safely perform their duties. In this regard, high winds and extreme cold can be particularly problematic. Moreover, enclosure may be necessary when it is desired to prevent dust, fumes, debris, and the like from being carried beyond the construction site.
Many types and styles of enclosure systems have been proposed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,727 (Dunn), U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,470 (Stone et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,069 (Handwerker), U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,110 (Boss, Jr.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,816 (Nolte), U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,033 (Gahler), U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,715 (Virtanen), U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,534 (Beaton), U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,234 (Brickman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,889 (Jankowski), U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,641 (Nusbaum), U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,425 (Nickerson et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,770 (Suzuki).
Some construction enclosures comprise tarps tied directly to scaffolding erected about a structure under construction. Similarly, wooden frames covered with polyethylene sheets have been used. More recently, tarps or sheets have been used in conjunction with various vertical and/or horizontal frame members. Many of these systems, however, have been difficult to erect and dismantle. Moreover, they tend to be expensive, particularly those that are not reusable. Further, the sheets employed in such systems oftentimes cannot be easily moved from one level to the next to cover specific areas where work is being performed. Finally, some of these enclosure systems are not capable of withstanding the inclement weather conditions that are prevalent in many areas of the world.
Two recently developed enclosure systems have been more acceptable. The first system, referred to commercially as the “Sail System”, is sold by Walton Technology, Inc., which is located in Richardson, Tex., U.S.A. This system employs a plurality of frame members that appear to be formed of a unitary extrusion having “C”-shaped tracks formed in the lateral sides of each frame member. The lateral sides of the sheets used with this system are defined by a rope welt. That is, each edge is folded over and secured to a rope, to form an enlarged edge region (or “welt”). The welts are slidably received in the “C”-shaped tracks. Each frame member appears to be substantially hollow. Generally, the frame members of this system are secured to buildings by means of cables that can be extended through holes in each frame member. Further information on the Sail System product can be found on the internet at www.sailsystem.com.
The second system, referred to commercially as the “e trax” enclosure system, is sold by Eagle Industries, Inc., which is located in Harahan, Louisianna, U.S.A. This system also employs a plurality of frame members, each comprising a frame body with “C”-shaped tracks formed in the lateral sides of each frame member. The body of each frame member consists of a unitary aluminum extrusion of solid construction. Two generally parallel fins protruding outwardly from the back of each frame member extend along substantially the entire length of the frame body. Like the “Sail System”, the “e trax” frame members are apparently secured to buildings using cables. Further information on the Sail System can be found on the internet at www.e-traxx.com/circleimage.html.